


What Truly Matters

by Stacysmash



Series: Random Rare Pairs [21]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Come on in and read I brought puppies, Fluff, Getting Together, Happy Ending, M/M, Romance, True Love, Witch Curses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 21:42:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: It seemed there was no taming the two wild princes, Atsumu and Osamu, as they ran all over the kingdom causing trouble. That is until a witch finds them and binds them with a terrible curse where neither prince could be awake the same time as the other. The only way to break the curse is for one of the brothers to find someone else to care about and have their love returned. Eight years later the brothers are still cursed, one squandering his days with every lover he can find. The other wanders in the night alone until one day he meets a handsome man from the village who quickly offers him something more.Ask Challenge! Pick a genre and a rare ship:MiyaDai + Fairy Tale AU





	What Truly Matters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HomeForImaginaryFriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HomeForImaginaryFriends/gifts).



A long time ago, in the faraway kingdom of Inarizaki, lived two young princes, Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu. Not only brothers were they, but twins so alike in appearance it was difficult for anyone to tell them apart. With every passing year, however, their personalities began taking on an individuality until they seemed complete opposites of one another. Then it took only a second glance to tell which one was which based purely on their expression. Despite their differences, the two brothers loved each other and got along well. Their parents were relieved at their amiability with each other, but on the other side the brothers had mischievous habits and liked to wreak havoc wherever they went.

One day when the boys were around ten years old, they wandered outside the castle walls and into the surrounding forest in search of adventure. All day they spent running through brush and throwing rocks at the woodland creatures. Eventually they were covered in scratches and mud but didn’t care one bit as they laughed and played.

“‘Tsumu… shouldn’t we be getting back?” Osamu said as he gazed through the trees, the beams of the setting sun pouring through the thick branches in strips of molten gold.

“Not yet, look! There’s smoke coming up over those trees. We should go check it out,” Atsumu said as he stood on top of a boulder, his hand held flat over his eyes to shield them from the sun.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? It could be bandits.”

“Then we’ll spy on them! Let’s go!”

Osamu said nothing but smirked as he followed his brother toward the direction of the smoke. Ahead they saw a clearing and hid behind a large tree trunk to peer around it. In the middle of the clearing was a cottage with smoke billowing from the chimney. Their eyes scoured the area for anything dangerous but eventually dropped their shoulders in disappointment.

“Alright, this is boring. Let’s go,” Atsumu grumbled but froze when the door of the cottage creaked open. An old woman shuffled out of the door, her gnarled hand trembling on a walking stick as she hobbled to her garden. The twins leaned forward to watch as she began to sing a strange song, reaching down to pluck a plant from the earth. The green stems suddenly paled into a pure white and seemed to shimmer in the dying light as she twirled it in her fingers.

“She’s a witch!” Atsumu hissed in Osamu’s ear and gripped onto his shoulder.

“Shh, she’ll hear you!” Osamu whispered as he shoved his brother off.

Suddenly the old woman began to cackle, and her eyes flickered straight to them.

“I did not need to _hear_ you to know you were there, young ones. Come out so I can get a better look at you. A witch I may be, but my eyes are old.”

The boys gulped nervously, but they obeyed as Osamu grasped his brother’s clammy hand.

“Ah, yes, the young princes.”

“You know who we are?!” Atsumu cried.

“Of course! Everyone in the kingdom works hard to pull their weight. But you two whittle away your time with fun and games, paying no attention to the plight of anyone else.”

Atsumu scrunched his face and pouted, but Osamu gazed back at her as he cocked his head.

“We are children though. Isn’t it good for children to play?”

“A little play is good for the soul, but not when ignoring responsibilities. Every child in the village finishes their chores if they are good, and then they have time to relax.”

“We’re _not_ village children though, and we don’t have chores,” Atsumu sniffed back with his nose in the air.

“No? I know for a fact you do, Miya Atsumu! You both ignore your duties and influence each other to do naughty things. I fear for the future of the Kingdom if it continues,” She sighed, shaking her head. Suddenly, she lifted her head with a gasp and stared at them with frightening intensity. “Perhaps now is the time to act while you’re young. Here you two are, alone in my grasp… it must be fate that brought you two here tonight,” She said in almost a whisper, and she hobbled toward them with alarming speed. The brothers found themselves frozen to the ground, unable to run away though their hearts were racing. For a while she stared at them until at last she drew a deep breath, the whole world around them darkening like a shroud.

“You,” She said, reaching her gnarled fingers out to stroke Atsumu’s cheek, “Hold all the fire and pride of the sun. So blinding are you that many can hardly see the truth within you.

And you,” She said as her eyes locked onto Osamu, her hand drifting to his face, “Are like the moon, mysterious and quiet. You drift in the shadows of your brother not because he is lesser, but by choice. Do you wish to eventually fade into nothing? What shall I do with you troublesome children? You feed off each other, so I will separate you.”

Her eyes suddenly glowed like embers and both the boys felt their faces burn where her fingers had stroked against them.

“While one is awake, the other will slumber. For years you will dwell alone, until one of you learns to care for a soul other than yourselves, and that love is returned. Until then, you both shall be cursed to walk the world without your other half. Now begone!” She screeched, and a wind whirled around them so fierce they clung to each other and buried their eyes. When everything was quiet, they looked up and found themselves back in their bedroom in the castle.

“What the hell?” Atsumu whispered as he glanced around the bedroom they shared. “Did that actually happen?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think we’ll really be-- ‘Samu! Your hair!” He cried as he forced Osamu to look at him, peering closely at his brother’s locks as they changed from black to a shadowy grey. Osamu’s eyes widened as he looked at his brother’s hair as well, bursting with golden color like a sunrise.

“Wow. I guess this is part of the witch’s curse,” Osamu mused as he cautiously threaded his fingers through Atsumu’s now blonde hair.

“Hmmm, strange. It’s kind of cool,” Atsumu said as he lifted himself on his toes to look at Osamu’s hair from all angles.

Outside the windows, the sun finally dipped completely below the horizon, and suddenly Atsumu’s eyes closed and his body fell in a heap on the floor. Osamu cried out in alarm and cradled his brother in his arms, trying to wake him. He screamed for help and in moments their bedroom was crowded with guards and servants. But there was nothing else they could do; the curse was set.

For the next eight years, the twin princes lived a combined life. If the sun was above the horizon, Atsumu would wander freely about the castle grounds. Being awake during the day gave him a clear advantage over his brother since he could see all their friends and family while they went about their day. By the time Osamu woke up, he usually had the opportunity to join his family for dinner, but soon most of the castle would abandon him for bed and he was left to wander the quiet halls alone.

At first the brothers tried to ease their separation by writing a description of their day in a journal for the other to read when they awoke. Osamu always looked forward to rising after sunset and running to their shared journal to read about Atsumu’s adventures. He would laugh at a joke written in and glance over at his sleeping brother, wishing he could have heard it spoken in his voice. Osamu would sometimes feel guilty that his entries were so boring, but Atsumu would assure him that he still wants to know what’s happening in his life.

As the years wore on, however, Atsumu’s entries became less frequent, especially when he demanded having his own room. When he was around sixteen years old, he grew even more rambunctious, sneaking girls and boys into his room at all hours of the day and messing around with them without a care. It was only in hissed whispers from servants or grumblings from his father over dinner that Osamu found out about Atsumu’s bad behavior. The King would openly wish he was as well-behaved as Osamu was, but Osamu knew that was only because he had little opportunity to misbehave during the boring hours of the night.

One day, when Osamu was around eighteen years old, he awoke to a figure scurrying around his room. He groaned and leaned up, rubbing his palm over his face and saw that it was Kita Shinsuke tidying up his mess of books. He raised an eyebrow at the young man who was only two years older than himself but acted closer to a middle-aged man.

Kita was the son of the King’s Steward, the man who kept the castle running smoothly and focused on day-to-day matters that were little concern to the King. Despite Kita’s fastidious nature that appeared to be genetic, he was the only one of Osamu’s friends that made an effort to stay up late to spend time with him. Most of that time was spent tutoring Osamu, but they also enjoyed speaking of matters going on in the kingdom.

“You don’t have to straighten them, you know. I’m just going to take them out anyways. Nothing to do anymore but read,” Osamu said as he stifled a yawn.

“I just needed to help a little before my trip,” Kita answered without looking away from the bookshelf he was attempting to alphabetize. Osamu was suddenly wide awake and sweeping his legs off the side of the bed to face his friend.

“Trip? What do you mean?”

“His Majesty is sending me as an emissary to another kingdom. I should only be gone a couple weeks.”

Osamu let his disappointment show on his face, and Kita abandoned the bookshelf to stand in front of him. He observed him for a moment before reaching a hand into Osamu’s hair and threading his fingers through it.

“I’m sorry. I wish I didn’t have to leave, but I would never refuse an order from the King.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m going to be lonely without you.”

Kita didn’t answer right away. He continued looking down at Osamu as he calmly continued to stroke through his hair.

“Do you ever go into the village?”

“No, why?”

“The castle is silent during the night, but the village can sometimes be lively even after the sun has set. You may find something to do there or make new friends.”

“I doubt that.”

Kita raised his hand and dropped a fist down onto Osamu’s head, causing him to grunt in pain.

“No more negativity. Nothing will change if you do nothing.”

“It could make it worse.”

Kita shrugged and went back to straightening the last few books.

“Then stay here with the books you’ve read a hundred times. I’m sure that’s better than whatever lies in the village waiting for you.”

Without another word, Kita swept out of the room to finish his own packing, leaving Osamu gaping after him. Kita made it sound like an adventure was waiting for him, but how could he have an adventure without Atsumu? Suddenly he saw a vision of his brother’s face when they were ten, dirty with several teeth missing.

_“Don’t be a coward, ‘Samu!”_

Osamu chuckled and shook his head. Kita was right, the life he was living wasn’t worth sticking around for. Even experiencing a disaster in the village would be far more interesting than anything he’d experienced the last eight years.

He lifted himself from the bed and immediately got ready for the day… well, _his_ day. A maid stopped in to give him his breakfast rolled in on a cart. With the later days during the summer, Osamu didn’t even get to eat dinner with his family, and the King and Queen were too preoccupied before bed to stop for a few minutes and visit with him. He could tell that the food was probably delicious, but it tasted like ashes in his mouth with the ache in his chest. It made him more determined than ever to find whatever he could to make his life richer.

He shoved the rest of the food down his throat and grabbed just a small coin bag to take with him before rushing out of his bedroom door. As he passed Atsumu’s room, he could hear several girls whining for the Prince to wake up and rolled his eyes. His brother had every opportunity to break the curse himself, but he seemed content to squander his time with many people rather than someone special. Osamu wondered if he would suffer the rest of his life under the curse.

At least he didn’t have to worry about Atsumu assuming the throne. They had an elder brother who was already married, and his wife was expecting a baby in the coming months. He was the epitome of responsibility, but more than that he genuinely cared for the kingdom. He cared for his younger brothers as well, and there were many times he would wake up long before daybreak to spend a little time with Osamu. With his elder brother’s guidance, rather than Atsumu’s, Osamu had grown to be infinitely more mature than he would have if the curse had never occurred.

When he finally left the castle gates with a nod to the guards, he wandered down the path into the village with his hands deep in his pockets. He felt nerves flutter in his stomach like butterflies, but he kept his feet moving toward the cluster of houses and shops he hadn’t visited in years. Soon he was immersed amid warm torchlight lining the streets, his eyes flickering everywhere as people wandered across the cobblestone paths.

Kita was right that it was livelier than the castle. He heard music and laughter echoing from a building further down the street with several horses tied up outside. Unable to subdue his curiosity, he wandered over to the building but stayed on the path as he stood on his toes to peer through the window.

It was a tavern filled to the brim with rowdy villagers drinking and having a wonderful time. Osamu was transfixed as he gazed at them all. Their behavior was nothing like the stuffiness of the palace and its opulent banquets. People here were free to laugh and converse with whoever they pleased, and he longed to be part of it.

After watching for several minutes, however, Osamu turned away and continued walking. As much as he wanted to interact with others, it would take more bravery to walk into such an environment by himself. He had more courage when he was ten with Atsumu by his side than he had now as an adult man. As shame seeped into his chest, he knew for a fact his brother would have no problem wandering in a tavern such as that. Whether he’d make it out unscathed was another matter entirely.

Osamu sighed, a fresh wave of loneliness aching in his chest as he watched his feet pick its way over the stone path. A voice nearby caused his steps to pause and he glanced around to determine its origin. Whoever he was had a deep voice that rumbled like distant thunder as he sang a gentle lullaby. Osamu followed the song until he found himself at a rickety stable. Each stall had the upper door swung open to bring in the cool night air, but the horses inside were quiet with sleep. Osamu crept toward the last door which emitted a warm light and cautiously peered around the edge of the door.

A man was standing in the stall with his back toward Osamu with a bay mare beside him. She looked like she was fighting sleep as her eyes began to droop but would snort and shake her mane in defiance. The man chuckled and continued to sing as he ran his hands calmly down her neck. The mare nibbled on his sleeve with her lips before resting her face against his arm and sighed.

Osamu was glad he had just woken up from a full day’s sleep, or else the charm of the man’s voice would have him snoozing against the side of the barn as well. It was insatiably calming though, and he felt himself grow jealous of the horses that they had such a man caring for them.

Suddenly Osamu felt something tickling the back of his neck above his collar, and he shrieked as he spun around. He found himself face-to-face with another horse that knickered playfully at him with her lips reaching out to nibble on his shirt. He sighed in relief and ran a sweaty hand through his hair.

“It’s alright, she won’t bite,” A deep voice chuckled next to him, and he turned to see the man smiling at him as he leaned against the door of the stall. It was the first time Osamu got a good look at him besides how broad his back was. Even in the dim light, he could see how warm the man’s brown eyes were as they twinkled with mirth. His short black hair was kept neat but looked soft to touch. He was a bit on the shorter side, but even through his beige tunic, Osamu could see the man was very well-built.

“That’s fine, she just startled me,” Osamu responded, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “I’m sorry for intruding, I heard you singing and I was curious.”

“I can understand that. Not many people go around singing at this time of night. What brings you this way, Stranger?”

“Just looking for something to do. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Are you a traveler?”

“No, I’ve lived here all my life. Well, not here, _there_ ,” Osamu said as he pointed up toward the castle up the hill.

“Oh! I thought you looked like a fancy lad,” The man mused as he glanced down at Osamu’s attire. Osamu frowned as he looked down, wondering if his clothes looked too out of place. The man’s laughter brought his gaze back up. “I’m just teasing you, I didn’t mean to make you self-conscious. Well, it explains why I’ve never seen you around. My name is Sawamura Daichi.”

Osamu grasped the hand Daichi extended over the stall and shook it politely.

“My name is Osamu.”

“Just Osamu?”

“Considering how little I see my family, it certainly feels appropriate.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. You must be lonely, what about your friends?”

“I don’t see them very often either. I, uh… have a strange sleeping schedule, and I find myself awake most of the night instead of the day. It’s difficult spending time with people while they’re asleep.”

Daichi nodded slowly as he observed Osamu. For a moment he wondered if he had said too much and made Daichi suspicious.

“Well, I’m glad you came along when you did,” Daichi finally said, a grin spreading across his face. Osamu cocked his head at him.

“You are?”

“Yes! I’m rather exhausted myself, and I could use some help with something. Go over to the doors and I’ll let you in,” He said as he turned around to exit the stall, taking the lantern with him to give the mare some rest. Osamu frowned in confusion but found himself consumed with curiosity. He wandered further along the barn wall until he came to a set of double doors and waited patiently. He didn’t particularly want to work, but he was willing to do anything to break up the monotony of his life.

After a moment the barn door was unlocked and slid open, bathing Osamu in the warmth of the lantern.

“Come on in,” Daichi said as he beckoned him in with a wave. Osamu stepped inside the cozy barn and immediately heard strange whines coming from a wide stall on the left.

“What is that?”

“Take a look.”

Osamu stepped up and peeked over the door, his eyes widening as a bunch of puppies rushed over and hopped up and down with little yips. Osamu gasped as the cute little furballs begged for his attention, and he glanced back at Daichi with a silent question burning on his face. Daichi laughed and unlatched the door, releasing the tidal wave of happy energy to swarm around their feet. Uncaring about the dusty, hay-littered floor, Osamu sat down and welcomed the puppies to climb all over him.

“They’re so cute!” He murmured as Daichi sat next to him, half the puppies rushing to tackle him as well.

“Aren’t they? They’ve just been weaned, and my Pop wanted me to find them all homes if I could since we don’t have much room on the farm.”

“If you live on a farm, why is your stable here?”

“Ah, we’re primarily a horse farm, settled outside the village where there’s more space. We actually breed most of the war horses used by the soldiers, but we also have regular horses for hire, which is what I do here. Every so often I bring the horses back and switch them out to give them rest, and then we sell them into retirement when they can no longer handle the work.”

“Oh, I see. I can’t believe how soft they are,” He said as he tried to give each little pup attention, running his hand through white and brown patched fur.

“Yup, and it’s perfect right now. Their hair will grow more course though as they get older.”

“Hm, but I bet they’ll still be cute.”

“Definitely, their mother is the sweetest dog I’ve ever had,” Daichi said, his voice thick with affection as he snuggled a pup in his arms. Osamu was amazed as he watched the puppy immediately calm in his embrace and snuggled as close to Daichi’s chest as he could.

Osamu stayed for a while longer, playing with the puppies and helping them release their energy so Daichi could rest with his back against the stall. When it came time to tuck the puppies back in, Daichi laughed at the way Osamu’s lip stuck out with disappointment.

“I take it you’re used to having your own way.”

“No, that’s not it. I mean, that used to be it, but not anymore. It’s just been so long since I’ve felt this good,” Osamu said honestly. He felt like he had spent a whole day in the sunshine instead of just an hour in a musty barn.

“Well, if that’s the case, you should stop by again. It’s good for them to play like that. In fact, let me know if you’d like one of them.”

Osamu pressed his lips together, feeling torn. He wanted one of those puppies more than anything, but what kind of a companion would he be if he could only be awake during the night. If Atsumu was more mature and responsible, he’d suggest sharing the puppy, but he hated to admit even to himself that he wouldn’t trust his brother with a borrowed quill anymore.

“I’d like to, but I’m not sure I could provide one with the love it deserves,” Osamu finally said, his heartbreak evident on his face.

“I find that hard to believe,” Daichi said as his hand embraced Osamu’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I have a good sense about people, and I feel that you would take very good care of one. You don’t have to give me an answer now but think about it.”

Osamu’s face warmed from Daichi’s kind words. It was rare that he heard such a compliment and trust. He licked his lips and offered Daichi a small smile.

“Thank you, that means a lot to me. I’ll consider it.”

“Great! Unfortunately, I need to get to sleep. My first appointments come early, I’m afraid.”

“Of course,” Osamu said as he spun around and shuffled out the door. Daichi followed to shut it behind him, pausing with one last grin.

“It was nice to meet you, Osamu. Like I said, you’re always welcome around here. Night.”

“Night,” Osamu said softly in return, his voice buried beneath the squeak of the shutting door. There were still many hours left in the night, but Osamu found himself wandering back up to the castle anyway. He wanted to end his time in the village with the pleasant experience he had in Daichi’s stable, his mind consumed with Daichi’s brown eyes and the comfort of his smile.

Over the next few weeks, Osamu continued to wander the village at night, heading straight for Daichi’s stable in hopes that the man was still awake. Usually he was, which was odd since he knew how early the horse master needed to get up. He wondered if he was staying up for his sake, feeling guilty and touched at the same time. There was an obvious humility and kindness in Daichi, not unlike Kita whom he always admired. Unlike his mentor, however, Daichi exhibited a more mischievous nature, always quick to tease Osamu about his clothes or laid-back personality. Osamu loved it and enjoyed teasing the man back whenever he could, just to see Daichi riled up in his competitive spirit.

As well as having a good sense of humor, Daichi’s conversations were interesting as well. He told Osamu many stories about growing up on the farm and his wild younger siblings that reminded Osamu so much of his old relationship with his brothers. Since Daichi mainly resides in the village, he had a group of rowdy friends he spent time with, and the more he told Osamu about them, the more he wanted to meet them.

Unfortunately, Osamu couldn’t spend every evening with Daichi. There were some nights Kita had to nearly tie him to the chair to get him to study. But despite Osamu’s distracted mind, he was thrilled he had made a new friend. Once all his work was finished, he grilled him with all sorts of questions about Daichi which Osamu was all too happy to answer. It wasn’t until one evening after talking Kita’s ear off about Daichi that he recognized a different sort of feeling flooding him.  
He couldn’t stop smiling, for one thing, and his mood seemed as high as the clouds. There was also this strange yearning drawing him deep into the village, an uneasiness whenever he wasn’t by Daichi’s side. He did not know how to express the changes in himself to Kita, but with the way his mentor giggled after he finished his stories he had the feeling he already knew.

One night while Osamu was playing with the puppies, who were much bigger than the first time he’d seen them, Daichi seemed oddly nervous about something as he fluttered around the stable straightening up tools that were already organized. Pawing at Osamu’s nose was Mari, a little puppy he had chosen for himself and was set to take her home soon. Kita had assured him he would pick up any slack in caring for her and would protect her from Atsumu and his whims.

Osamu scooped up Mari and snuggled her into his chest as he wandered across the stable and leaned over Daichi’s shoulder.

“Daichi-san, is something troubling you?”

Daichi flinched at his voice and spun around, leaning as far back against the table as he could.

“You scared me! No, yes, I mean,” Daichi paused and took a deep breath. Osamu subdued his smirk and waited patiently for him to continue. “There’s a festival tomorrow, I was wondering if you’d like to go with me. I mean, not _with_ me, well yes, you could meet me there, I mean.”

Osamu felt his face grow warm at the invitation and the cute way Daichi was getting flustered. He had been hoping that with his growing feelings that perhaps Daichi felt the same way. He did not want to get ahead of himself, but it was difficult with the way Daichi was staring at him the same way Mari does when she wants to be held.

“I would love to go, I’ve never really been-- oh, wait, I can’t…” Osamu said as his face fell, suddenly remembering his curse.

“Why not?”

“I’m usually asleep during the day, remember?”

“That’s fine! Most of the festivities don’t start until after sunset.”

“Really?” Osamu asked, perking up immediately. Mari sensed the change and began tapping his chest with her little tail. Daichi laughed and reached out to rub her floppy ear.

“Yeah, I’m helping to set some of the areas up during the afternoon anyway, so when you arrive I should be free to enjoy myself.”

“Great, that sounds perfect. I look forward to it,” Osamu said as he kept his eyes glued to his puppy. He knew without looking that Daichi was just as excited as he was, and he didn’t trust his ability to control his own expression if he saw it.

When he went to bed just before morning, he wasn’t sure he would sleep with how fast his heart was beating. His mind whirled with thoughts of what he should wear and if he should consult with Kita first on how to behave, but as soon as the sun rose his eyes closed shut and sleep came regardless.

While he was lost to his dreams about mid-afternoon, Atsumu stood in a small corner of the library where their shared journal was hidden since they no longer shared a room. He flipped through the pages of the last several weeks with a frown on his face.

There were scattered entries within from Osamu, but Atsumu found them to be more vague than usual. Even when his brother used to wander the halls of the castle, bored to death, Atsumu was certain from his words that he was hiding nothing from him. These days Osamu chronicled stories of wandering through the village at night and telling Atsumu about some of the things he’d seen. It almost seemed like Osamu was grazing around the edges of something important, something he didn’t want to share with Atsumu.

He slammed the journal shut and glanced out the window where far down the hill he could just see the outline of the village. What was so special there that Osamu would hide something from him? He had to admit he enjoyed being the most important thing in his brother’s life. During the day nobody took him seriously in the shadow of their elder brother and he suffered all day long with complaints from everyone.

Atsumu slid the journal back into their hiding spot and swept out of the library in search of his friend Suna. He couldn’t do anything himself about whatever Osamu was doing at night, but he knew how to get the information regardless.

 

Kita nearly had to shove Osamu out the door of the castle after telling him a million times he looked fine. He was dressed in nice clothes, but nothing too ostentatious so he would fit in better with the village folk. He drew in deep breaths the whole way down the path toward the village, trying to calm his nerves. It wasn’t long before lively music beckoned to him along with rowdy cheers and laughter.  

Osamu gasped as he finally walked down the final hill, finding himself immersed with lights and colors. For years he had been living in a world of shadows, it was as if he had walked into a rainbow with women wandering by in their flowing dresses, flags of every color fluttering above him in the breeze, and activity blurring around him as the air flooded with chatter.

His head whirled as he tried soaking every bit of it in on his way toward the center where he was supposed to meet Daichi. When he did finally spot him amongst the throngs of people, Osamu froze as his eyes scoured over every inch of him.

There wasn’t anything too remarkable about his dress, but it was clean and the deep blue tunic he wore stretched over his muscular torso in a mouth-watering way. Even his boots were polished and gleaming, so much so that Osamu would have no issue resting his head on them if Daichi would ask him to.

As Daichi laughed at something his companion was saying, it shook Osamu from his stupor and he glanced around to see who he was with. Two young men stood in front of Daichi, a tall, intimidating one with long hair partly tied up, and a shorter one with grey wavy hair and a bright smile on his face. Osamu felt awkward joining them, but he had arranged with Daichi to meet him and couldn’t leave without saying hello first.

He gulped down his nervousness and slipped through the crowds. It was the grey-haired friend that caught sight of him first, cocking his head with interest. Daichi turned to see what his friend was looking at and immediately perked up when he saw him.

“Osamu! I was wondering when you’d show up!” He said with a smile stretched from ear-to-ear and he rushed up to clap him on the arm.

“Sorry if I’m running late, my mentor was hassling me as usual.”

“Hm, are you sure it wasn’t you causing him trouble?”

“I won’t confirm nor deny that statement,” He said with a smirk. Daichi laughed and turned to gesture to his friends.

“These are my best friends. Sugawara Koushi and Azumane Asahi. Don’t mind his appearance, he’s really quite gentle.”

“I wouldn’t say gentle,” Asahi said as he scratched his head.

“He’s a pushover!” Suga laughed as he punched the big guy in the ribs. Even Osamu cringed, noting the sheer force behind the playful jab. “Soooooooo, _you’re_ the Osamu that we’ve been hearing so much about,” Suga said as he wandered around him, his eyes scouring over every inch of him as his eyes glinted mischievously.

“Suga, don’t embarrass me, please.”

“It’ll be your own fault for getting embarrassed by my actions. So, tell us all about yourself, Mystery Man.”

Osamu raised an eyebrow at Suga.

“Mystery man?”

“Yes! Who are you really? Do you work in the castle? Why can you only come out at night? Are you actually a vampire?”

“Ok, that’s enough, get lost,” Daichi said as he shoved his palm against Suga’s face and shoved him back a few paces. “How about you guys find the others and we’ll join you later.”

“Fine, fine, but I want answers! Lovely to meet you finally!” Suga chirped as he waved over his shoulder and dragged Asahi away.

“Sorry about him.”

“It’s fine. I can tell he’s a good friend to you,” Osamu said gently and Daichi’s face softened as he smiled back at him.

“He is. I’m lucky to have very good friends. I can’t wait to introduce you to the others, but… well, I’d like to immerse you gradually. They can be a lot.”

Osamu laughed and shook his head.

“Alright. Well, I look forward to getting to know them eventually.” Suddenly, Osamu’s body stiffened as he began smelling the air. “Is that… _curry_?!”

“Oh yeah! It’s the best, let’s go get some!” Daichi said as he grabbed Osamu’s hand and pulled him through the maze of people. Osamu felt light headed and wondered if it was from the heavenly aroma or his heart thundering out of control from Daichi’s hand enveloping his. His skin was rough from Daichi’s hard-labor, but warm and comforting. He was reluctant to release it when they finally made it to the food tents.

In the castle, he was well-known for his voracious appetite ever since he was a child. Since his curse, food had lost a fragment of its delicious taste, a meal never being as good if you had no one to share it with. Sitting across the table from Daichi, he found out two things: Food had once again regained its exquisite flavor, and Sawamura Daichi could pack away more food than he could. It almost became a competition as they visited each tent, inhaled the food, and wandered to the next. By the time they had eaten everything that was available, they sat down on a bench and groaned in their misery.

“What happened to my pants? They fit before I left,” Osamu said as he wondered how to loosen his belt in public without anyone seeing.

“Same here. I just hope I don’t split this pair.”

“ _This_ pair? Does that mean it’s happened before?” Osamu asked, a giggle rumbling in his voice.

“Maybe, but there’s no way I’m telling you that story.”

“Hmm, I wonder if your friend Sugawara knows. I bet he’d tell me.”

Daichi jerked his head toward him, a dark scowl on his face in an attempt to frighten him. It only made Osamu smirk wider.

“Stay away from Suga, he’s dangerous.”

“You mean he has too much dirt on you, is that what you’re saying?”

“Did I hear my name?” Suga said as he suddenly appeared in front of them.

“No, no you didn’t. Go away,” Daichi said as he waved his arms in front of him to shoo him away. Suga laughed and grabbed his hands, yanking Daichi clean off the bench. Osamu sat rigidly on the bench for a moment, temporarily intimidated by the strength hidden inside of Daichi’s friend that he could lift him so easily.

“Come on, you two! Everyone’s gathered in the dancing area!”

“Oh no, we just ate everything two men could possibly eat without dying. There’s no way we can dance,” Daichi protested.

“Nonsense! You need to work it all off now, come on!”

Before Osamu could blink, he too was yanked off his feet and dragged behind Suga with Daichi beside him. When they finally stopped, Osamu found himself bombarded by several excitable characters. One bald guy looked him over suspiciously with a taunting face while a shorter one hopped all around him shooting off more questions than even Suga had. Another short one with bright orange hair rushed up to him with a shout of wonder, his eyes bright as they looked him up and down.

“Whaaaaaa! You’re so tall! I bet you can reach everything and jump really high like _Gwah and Wham_!”

“Alright, alright, everybody back up!” Daichi barked, and they all flinched at the tone of his voice. Osamu turned toward Daichi, surprised that he could hold such command over the others. His face was dark as he stared his friends down until they bowed and made their apologies, except the bald one that continued to sulk and stare at him suspiciously. Eventually, they all calmed down enough for Daichi to run down the line, so Osamu knew their names and a little about what they did in the village.

“Sorry about them,” Daichi muttered once they all scattered away, and Osamu snickered.

“That’s fine. You weren’t kidding about them being rowdy, but they seem like fun.”

Daichi smiled back at him, all his previous anger melting away as he nodded.

“They are. Don’t worry, it won’t take long for them to accept you.”

They turned to watch Daichi’s friends running over the area, grabbing each other or someone else from the crowd and dragging them off to dance. Osamu’s mind wandered, the strange sense of yearning creeping back into his chest even though Daichi was right next to him. He was amazed that the man was not only offering him his friendship, but also that of his friends as well.

Osamu gulped down the emotions welling up suddenly and shook his head. He was there to enjoy himself, and the last thing he wanted to do was cause Daichi any worry.

“Would you like to dance?” Daichi asked, his deep voice rumbling into his ear. Osamu sucked in a breath and coughed into his hand, hoping his face wasn’t as red as it felt.

“Um, I don’t really know how.”

Daichi’s hand slipped back into his, their fingers entwining as his other hand nestled against his cheek to pull his gaze toward him.

“It’s not hard. Just trust me,” He said softly and with a warm smile, he led Osamu toward the dance area. A new song was just beginning its intro, and Daichi found an area with fewer people so they wouldn’t get trampled. When he stopped, he faced him and brought Osamu’s hand around his own waist.

“Hold me here, that’s it. I’ll take your other hand like this. First, we’re going to sort of skip to the right and then twist and skip to the left. We can watch everyone for a moment until you get the sense of it.”

Osamu nodded his head, unable to speak as his mind was filled with how his hand was on Daichi’s lower waist and they were standing so close his body felt extremely warm. It took him a minute to realize everyone else was moving, and Daichi laughed as he flickered his eyes toward them to give Osamu the hint to watch.

He knew his face was red then, but he jerked his head away to watch the couples bounding around the circle exactly how Daichi described. Once he got a sense of it, he nodded to Daichi and they lurched forward. He bumped his chest against Daichi’s, and he nearly tripped over his own feet. Daichi tried to help him, but he couldn’t hold back the laughter as they only got more uncoordinated. Eventually, they were able to make it once around without falling, but by that point, tears were streaming down their face and they could hardly breathe.

“Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea,” Daichi admitted as they snuck away before the next song began.

“Nonsense, it was an _excellent_ idea. I haven’t laughed that hard in years.”

“Really? Well, if that’s the case then it was worth it,” Daichi said as he paused. He was still holding onto Osamu’s hand as he observed him closely, and Osamu lost himself in the depths of his chocolate eyes and the cute smile lingering on his lips. A wave of heat flooded him suddenly as the desire to kiss those lips became almost unbearable. He forced his eyes away from them and back up to Daichi’s eyes, but the same desire seemed etched in Daichi’s gaze.

With a shuddering breath he leaned down, so close he could feel Daichi’s warm breath tickle his lips. Daichi licked his own lips as he eased his face up, mere centimeters away.

A huge crash caused them to flinch away and turn in alarm. Two of Daichi’s friends, Kageyama and Hinata were fighting, the smaller one getting tossed about as if he weighed as light as a feather. None of the other villagers seemed to be alarmed by it, however, most of the crowd laughing at their antics or rolling their eyes. Osamu figured it must be a common enough occurrence as many people turned their backs on them and went about their dancing and eating.

Daichi, on the other hand, growled under his breath and stepped forward to stop the bickering pair. Suga seemed to appear out of nowhere and held his hands out to stop him.

“It’s fine, I’ll take care of it. Maybe you two should take a walk… somewhere more private,” He sneered and shot Daichi a wink. Before Daichi could snap at him, Suga bounded through the crowds and attempted to intervene in the fight.

“Actually, a walk does sound nice,” Osamu murmured toward his ear, and this time it was Daichi that flushed bright red and coughed into his hand.

“Sure, yeah, we can do that.”

They slipped through the crowds toward the outer rim of the village where everything was quiet. Osamu couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, peeking down at their hands still clasped together. Occasionally, they’d meet each other’s eye before chuckling awkwardly and looking away. It was strange to be together and alone with absolutely nothing to say. Osamu was fine with that though; he was content to be in Daichi’s presence for as long as he could.

They wandered around without a destination for a long while until Osamu noticed the sky growing paler as it neared the morning.

“Shit, I have to go.”

“Wait, can’t you tell me why?” Daichi asked as he squeezed his hand, holding him back. Osamu looked back at him, feeling his heart break at Daichi’s expression of sadness. He stepped toward him and nestled his hand against Daichi’s cheek.

“I can’t right now, I really have to leave this second. But I promise you that tomorrow night I’ll come find you, and I will tell you everything. It’s time I think. I-I had a nice time. Thank you,” He said as his hand slipped away from Daichi’s face, his other hand releasing Daichi’s, and ran off toward the castle.

Daichi watched him go until he disappeared over the hill, his hand pressed against the cheek that had Osamu’s hand against it a moment before. He sighed heavily and turned back toward his home. He knew Suga would want to hear everything, but he was in no mood for it. He wanted to fall asleep treasuring the memory of Osamu’s laughter and the intensity of his gaze when they nearly kissed.

He made it back to his home without running into anyone, but he was unaware of a set of eyes watching him from behind a building. When Daichi shut the door behind him, Suna Rintaro adjusted his cloak hood over his head and walked away, picking up the path Osamu had earlier and wandered up to the castle.

His arms were crossed tightly in front of him on his way up the hill. The whole situation gave him a sour feeling in his stomach. He didn’t like spying on Osamu, he didn’t like getting involved in anything regarding the troublesome brothers. But to refuse Atsumu was asking for more trouble than it was worth, and he hoped he didn’t regret the things he had learned and was about to divulge to the prince who was only awake during the day.

 

Osamu had barely made it to his room before he collapsed, half his body hanging off his bed and still dressed in his clothes. His body was incredibly sore when he woke up the next evening, staring down at himself as his bleary mind put together the pieces of the eventful night before.

With a gasp, he remembered his promise to Daichi, and he rushed around the room to clean himself up. Butterflies began fluttering in his stomach, wondering what Daichi would say when he finds out the truth, about him being cursed. Surely, he wouldn’t be angry at him, right? Osamu never lied to him, and he always knew he was keeping something from him. He was determined to tell Daichi, however, and hoped to add on a confession of his feelings as well.

It wouldn’t be easy, having a relationship with someone who could only be awake at night, but something in him knew that Daichi would be willing to make it work. Blossoms of hope spread through his chest as he finally emerged from his room and began running down the hall.

He was nearly to the front door when Kita called out to him, a troubled look on his face.

“Sorry, Kita-san! I can’t talk right now, can it wait?”

“Well, actually--”

“I’ll find you later!” Osamu called over his shoulder and disappeared out the doors without a second glance. Kita bit his lip as he stared after him and slowly wandered back up the hallway.

Osamu’s heart was pounding in his chest by the time he swerved onto Daichi’s street. His eyes flickered at the stalls, looking for Daichi’s lantern when he stopped suddenly. Every stall was shut tight with Suga and Asahi standing in front of it with worried looks on their faces.

“Hey, are you guys alright?” He asked, startling them both.

“Osamu! Have you seen him?!” Suga asked, rushing up to him with his eyes filled with fear.

“What? Seen who?”

“Daichi!”

“What do you mean, is he not here?” He asked, his face jerking up to check over the area as a sick feeling swirled in his stomach.

“No! Guards showed up this morning and escorted him to the castle, so I thought you’d know something. We wouldn’t normally worry, his family breeds horses for the King’s soldiers, after all. But there are rumors flying all over the place! Whispers saying that Daichi’s been taken in as Prince Atsumu’s lover!”

Osamu froze, his mouth slipping open in shock. The blood in his body ran as cold as ice as Suga’s words sunk in.

“That--that’s impossible. Does he even know Atsumu?”

“No, he’s never seen him before, trust me. He tells us everything and the only person he’s been talking about for the last several weeks has been you.”

Osamu felt dizzy suddenly, and Suga and Asahi rushed forward to grip his arms. He drew in deep breaths to clear his vision and settle the panic raging inside him, but he couldn’t understand what was happening. He never even mentioned Daichi to Atsumu, he shouldn’t even care that he existed, unless…

Osamu pressed his lips in a thin line, wondering if his brother would stoop so low as to spy on him. It was possible; very likely, in fact, considering the circumstances. His panic began to ease as anger replaced it, and he straightened up with a nod to Daichi’s friends.

“I’m okay, thank you. Can I rely on you both to watch Daichi’s stable and the puppies? I’m going to find him.”

The worry on their faces eased a little and they nodded.

“We’ll all take turns, now go! Please help him.”

“I will,” Osamu said quickly as he turned and ran back to the castle. He wanted to tear into Atsumu’s room and pummel his brother, but with the sun hidden away, it wouldn’t do him any good, at least until Atsumu woke up with a bruised face. Instead, he ran through the castle and kicked in Suna’s door who had been asleep.

Reluctantly, his old friend admitted that he was the spy, but he would tell Osamu nothing about happened to Daichi. No amount of threats could draw anything else from him, so Osamu ran out of the room to find someone who would tell him something. Unfortunately, every one of his friends was tight-lipped, only revealing fragments of what had happened during the day.

He wasn’t sure if he was more furious at their refusal to tell him or that it was obvious that it wasn’t loyalty keeping their mouths shut, but fear of Atsumu.

For hours he scrambled around the castle, rushing into Atsumu’s room and finding nothing but naked women lounging around, all the way down to the dungeons that held only traitors and thieves. The panic was beginning to return as the night wore on and the threat of morning was already appearing in the sky without a single trace of Daichi.

“Osamu,” A quiet voice called, pulling him to a dead stop. He whirled around and found Kita rushing toward him. “I’ve been trying to find you all night, but you wouldn’t stop. I know where Sawamura Daichi is being held and what happened.”

“What?! Tell me,” Osamu cried, rushing to his friend.

“Come, this way,” He said, losing no time running down the hallway. As they ran, Kita told him several details of what had happened while he slept. Apparently, Daichi had been brought before Atsumu by some guards and gave him two choices: become his lover or be thrown into a dungeon where no one would ever find him. Daichi refused and was immediately taken away and hidden in a secret dungeon of the castle that hardly anyone knew about.

Down another hallway, Kita quickly turned through a narrow door Osamu had never noticed before. It went straight down a spiral staircase that took him nearly underground. At the bottom was a door with a little window at the top with a couple bars across it, and as they crept toward it Kita placed his finger to his lips and pointed up at the window.

“What do you see?” Kita whispered, and Osamu nodded, straightening up on his toes to peek through.

“There are two guards on the other side, and then a long hallway.”

Kita nodded and slipped something from his cloak. When he opened his hand, a green ball sat in his hand that seemed to be made from a chalky mineral.

“Take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can,” Kita whispered. “Now!”

Osamu sucked in a lungful of air and held it as Kita crushed the ball in his hand, not bothering to take hold a breath himself. He tossed it through the little window and immediately a green smoke billowed in the air. Osamu heard two heavy thuds on the other side of the door, and Kita wrenched the door open to reveal the guards dead asleep.

“Quick, run to the end and find Sawamura-san. I’ll search them for the keys. Go!”

Osamu didn’t hesitate as he hopped over the bodies and ran toward the end. It was only then he took a fresh breath as he threw open the heavy grated door. He panted as he rushed around the corner, peering into every cell of the hidden dungeon until he found one occupied with a body huddled on the filthy floor.

“Daichi?!” He called through the bars, and the body on the floor jerked awake.

“Osamu! Is that you?” Daichi cried as he crawled toward him. His hands clasped the bars of his door and Osamu wrapped his hands around them, sucking in a quick breath at the cold temperature of his skin. His eyes scoured over Daichi’s shivering frame, desperately looking for injuries.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just scared out of my mind,” Daichi admitted.

“Listen, we don’t have much time. Any minute the sun will come up and I’ll fall asleep.” Daichi blinked at him and opened his mouth but Osamu shook his head. “I’m cursed. I’m Atsumu’s twin brother, both of us were cursed eight years ago. He can only be awake during the day, and I can only be awake during the night. That’s what I wanted to tell you before you were taken.” He paused and glanced up at the window near the ceiling where the morning was coming quick. He licked his lips and turned back to Daichi, leaning his face into the bars to get as close as he could. “Daichi, if I fall asleep, don’t worry. Kita is right behind me trying to find the keys. I trust him, and he’ll get you out, I promise.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine, the only thing that matters is you getting out safe.”

“That’s not all that matters, Osamu,” Daichi said softly, leaning forward to rest his forehead against his. They both closed their eyes, feeling each other’s presence for as long as they could before Osamu’s consciousness would be ripped away from him.

“I love you,” He whispered to the dark and he heard Daichi gasp lightly at the declaration. “I’m sorry this happened to you, it’s all my fault. I’d rather die than have you locked up in this shitty place.” Osamu’s voice cracked as he choked back a sob. He felt one of Daichi’s hands slip out from under his and slide along the back of his head, his fingers threading through his hair.

“Don’t talk like that,” Daichi whispered back, his words puffing warm air against Osamu’s lips. “I’ll be fine in here, I flat-out refused Atsumu when he tried to take me as a lover. I belong only to you, and I’m not leaving this castle without you by my side.”

Before Osamu could protest, warm lips suddenly encased his, and his eyes flew open in surprise. But Daichi’s hand held him in place, and after a moment he melted into the kiss as he reached through the bars to wrap them around Daichi’s back. He mentally cursed the cold, metal bars keeping them apart, and wished he had enough strength to pry them open.

As Daichi deepened the kiss, Osamu lost every train of thought as he focused purely on the warmth of Daichi’s lips and grip of his hands digging into his back.

There was a soft cough behind them, and Osamu pulled away with a gasp to find Kita standing nearby with a light blush on his face.

“Here are the keys,” He said as he held them out, not meeting Osamu’s eye with a slight smile curling on his lips.

“What took you so long?!” Osamu cried as he scrambled to his feet and snatched them from him.

“I wanted to give you some time to figure things out. I had a feeling that if I did, you would break the curse.”

“ _What are you talking about?_ Any second now I’m gonna collapse and you’re wasting time with the keys while we could have been freeing--”

“Osamu!” Daichi yelled, interrupting his grumbling as he unlocked the door.

“What?” He asked, but Daichi pointed up at the small window. Osamu turned and squinted as a beam of sunlight poured over his face. He stood stunned for a moment as his mouth hung open, hardly registering Daichi slipping out of the cell and taking his hand.

“I’m… I’m awake.”

“Yes, you’re awake,” Kita clarified.

“I haven’t seen the sun in eight years,” He whispered shaking his head.

“What was it that broke the curse?” Daichi asked next to him.

“He needed to care for someone other than himself or Atsumu, and that person had to care for him back. Congratulations, Sawamura-san.”

“Um, thank you.”

“Does that mean Atsumu’s curse is broken as well?” Osamu asked as he turned to Kita who shrugged.

“I guess we’ll find out tonight when the sun goes down.”

“Atsumu… I haven’t heard his voice in eight years. I should go pay him a visit,” He said as he gave Daichi a smirk.

 

Atsumu yawned loudly as he splashed cool water on his face. After patting his face dry with a towel, he cringed at the naked girls still lounging around his room, wishing the servants had shooed them away before he woke up. He tossed the towel across the basin and wandered over to the window, gazing at the morning light.

He wondered what his brother’s reaction was when he found his lover missing. He hadn’t been sure what to expect when the guards brought Sawamura Daichi in front of him. The man impressed him with how solidly he stood his ground, refusing to give in to his demands to become his lover. It showed that he wasn’t after Osamu for his looks and prestige, considering Atsumu had the same.

As impressed as Atsumu was in the man, he still felt a childish desire to punish him for stealing his brother’s affections. It wouldn’t be long before Osamu found him in the hidden dungeon and found a way to free him, so he had to think fast for another way to mess around with the amorous couple.

He jumped when his door suddenly flew open, and when he spun around he froze as he stared at the last person he expected to see that morning.

“S-Samu?!”

“‘Tsumu! How are you, my sweet brother? It’s been a while,” Osamu answered calmly, not stopping until he stood right in front of him.

“Um, good! I’m good, how are y--”

His question was cut off as Osamu swung his fist into his jaw, knocking him to the floor. The pain in his face was so intense, it took a moment for his vision to clear as he groaned in pain.

“I don’t care who you fuck around with, but you don’t go near Daichi or harm him ever again… do you hear me?” Osamu asked as he hovered over him, his voice edged with an intensity that sent chills down his spine. Atsumu shook his face as he regained his focus, whining as he gently palmed his jaw.

“Yup… crystal clear,” He said as he sat up, wincing in pain as he tried to grin at his brother. “So, you broke the curse, wonderful! Good for you. Now we can finally move on with our lives, aren’t you happy, Samu?”

“I am happy, for myself. I feel rather bad for you.”

“What? Why would you feel bad for me?”

“Because you’re alone,” Osamu replied, and he turned to walk out of the room without saying anything else. Atsumu scoffed despite the sting of Osamu’s words and groaned as he lifted himself to his feet.

 _I’m not alone… obviously_ , He thought as he looked at the women just beginning to wake from the ruckus. He leaned down and swiped a couple dresses from the floor, flinging it at the girls and told them to get dressed and go home.

Ignoring their huffs and protests, he shuffled after Osamu and stopped in his doorway to watch his brother wrap a protective arm around Daichi and lead him away. He focused on the way Osamu’s hand gently squeezed Daichi’s shoulder and the warmth in their expressions as they smiled at each other.

“Eight years, and I finally get to see my brother again… only for him to be taken away,” Atsumu mused to himself and he flinched when another presence suddenly appeared next to him.

“He’s not being taken away. If you respect his lover and behave, I’m sure he’ll forgive you,” Kita said, watching the pair disappear down another hallway.

“Ugh, sounds troublesome. Well! At least I still have you, Kita, to clean up my messes,” He snickered as he wrapped his arm around Kita’s neck and ruffled his hair. He released him as he turned back into his room and groaned. “You girls are still here? I told you to scram!”

Kita watched him chase the poor girls from his room only half-clothed and turned away from the chaos, leaving Atsumu to his childish whims.

 

The King and Queen were astonished when Osamu walked into the room in broad daylight, his lover standing behind him nervously. Once their surprise faded and they heard their son’s story, they embraced Osamu with tears of joy, relieved that they could all be a family once again. Daichi nearly fainted when they rushed to embrace him as well. The fact that he helped break the wretched curse gave them every reason to accept him immediately as their son’s lover. When the Queen began talking about a wedding, however, Osamu and Daichi sputtered that they needed a while to get to know each other better, and reluctantly she agreed.

For the time being, Daichi returned to his home in the village to be reunited with his friends and to care for his animals. Osamu resumed the duties that a young prince should have, helping his parents and his elder brother care for the kingdom. His evenings belonged to him, however, and every night without fail he would travel into the village with Mari trotting by his side to spend time with the man he loved.

Some nights Daichi dragged him to the tavern, where he, at last, joined in on the liveliness and laughter he had longed to be a part of not so long ago. Daichi’s ridiculous friends were quick to accept him, especially after rescuing Daichi from the clutches of his brother. Even as he grew closer to them, Osamu gradually regained his old friendships as well as they occasionally joined him in the tavern.

Most nights, however, Osamu was content to spend in Daichi’s small house next to his stable. No genius chef from the castle could cook a meal as delicious as his lover, he felt. There was no high-priced entertainment of banquets that could compare with the laughter Daichi’s stories brought him. No amount of treasure or gold could fill him with the warmth that Daichi’s embrace could, nor the pleasure of his lips, and the perfection of his love. After all those years, Osamu had finally found what truly mattered.

 

**Epilogue:**

 

Deep in the forest, a small cottage was settled in a clearing with a garden stretched next to it. Inside the cottage, an old witch hummed to herself as she stirred the boiling pot over the fire. She brought the large ladle out and tapped it a couple times against the rim to prevent any dripping and hung it on the hook in the mantle. With a nod she shuffled around the room, straightening up the already well-organized room as the door to her cottage opened.

“Grandmother, I’m here.”

“Shinsuke! You’re early.”

“I was finally able to get away for a bit,” Kita said as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“Sit down while I make some tea,” She said as she shoved him toward the table.

“I can make it, why don’t you rest?”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead. Sit down and tell me all about what’s been happening. The curse was finally broken, wasn’t it? I sensed it.”

Kita shook his head with a small smirk and obediently sat at the table.

“Yes, it was broken by— “

“No, no, let me guess. It was the shadowy one, right?”

“Osamu, yes.”

“Woo hoo! My instincts were right on the money. Who did he fall in love with?”

“Sawamura Daichi, the horse master.”

“Oh, what a fine young man! When I needed to travel last year into the mountains, he lent me the sweetest and most sure-footed pony I’ve ever run across. I’m sure they’ll make a splendid couple.”

“I think they will, Osamu’s growing up well,” Kita said, puffing up his chest with pride.

“Of course, he is. He had you to look after him, didn’t he? Now, what of the other one?”

“Atsumu… he’s the same as he always was. Perhaps worse.”

“Phooey, I knew I should have made their curses separate. Hmm, I guess I’ll have to cook something new up for him.”

“Are you sure you want to bother? Do you really think he can be changed?”

The old woman pondered for a moment, humming a bit as she argued with herself in her head.

“I think I can manage it, it just needs to be something wild to really shake the young man up, something horrible and monstrous perhaps. Should I turn him into a beast?”

“You did that three years ago.”

“Oh, that’s right. That didn’t turn out too great either.”

“It’s not your fault there were hunters in the woods.”

“Hmm, it’s on the tip of my tongue, I know it.”

“Granny! Are you in?” A brash woman’s voice shouted from just outside the door, and the witch gasped.

“That’s it! Saeko dear, come in quick!”

“Alright, alright, I’m here,” Said a young woman with a bright blonde bob as she slipped inside the cottage and kicked the door shut behind her. “Oh, Shin-kun! Haven’t seen you in a while!”

“Good evening, Tanaka-san,” Kita said politely, though a blush slipped across his cheeks as it always did when he ran into her. She ruffled his hair with a laugh before setting a basket full of bread onto the table.

“Got what you asked for, and even had some money left over!”

“Splendid, thank you, my Dear. Saeko… would you do me a favor?”

“Name it!”

“I would like for you to make a young man miserable.”

“Granny, that could hardly be called a favor! I do that stuff for fun.”

“Ah, it’s a troublesome case. The lad was cursed for eight years and still didn’t learn anything valuable from the experience.”

“Sounds like a real idiot. Sure, I’ll have him begging for mercy in no time. Who is it?”

“Miya Atsumu, the prince.”

Saeko stared at her for a moment before throwing her head back and cackling toward the ceiling.

“Oh, Granny, I’ve been aching to get my claws into that little asshole! Leave it to me, rehabilitating hopeless pricks is my specialty,” She assured the old woman, shooting her a confident wink.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Oooooooh my gosh I can't believe this ended up being over 11,000 words, ahhhh! I should have just done a cute little scene that was fairy tale-ish, but no I went and made a whole fairy tale up, lol. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think! I hope you enjoyed it :)


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